November 9, 1961 - BRIAN Epstein was pressured by fans of fledgeling group, the Beatles, to drop in to a lunch time gig at Liverpool's dark, dank underground music club, the Cavern, 50 years ago today, and from that day on, the music industry revolved into a new direction. The record retail store manager took on the band, and while he's since best known for managing the Beatles, he also managed many other acts: Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle. His management company was NEMS Enterprises, named after his family's music stores, NEMS (North End Music Stores). With his own money, Epstein paid for The Beatles to record a demo in Decca studios, then later persuaded George Martin to listen to it, because Decca were not interested in signing the band. The group had been previously rejected by most British record companies, so when Martin offered a contract on behalf of EMI's small Parlophone label, Epstein quickly accepted . Martin later explained that Epstein's enthusiasm and his confidence that The Beatles would one day become internationally famous convinced him to sign them. And this is what Epstein would've seen that day, 50 years ago, as the Beatles performed a short set.
1962 - MOTOWN Records released You've Really Got a Hold on Me, today, by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, one of a series of hits from the band. Written by Smokey Robinson it was inducted into the 1998 Grammy Hall of Fame, and is also one of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Versions of this addictive song have been done by: Jackie DeShannon, Percy Sledge, Michael Jackson, Jackson 5, Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, Zombies, Small Faces, Temptations, Supremes, Phil Collins, and following the original version, here, probably the most famous version, by the Beatles.
1963 - LOUIE Louie was an early, simple rock'n'roll garage band hit for a group called the Kingsmen, and it was released on this day back in 1963. The song has since been covered by a multitude of acts, including Clash, Kinks, Iggy Pop, Ross Wilson's Pink Finks, and many more. Here are two versions, first up the original, then the Kinks' version, the dirty dwn home rock'n'roll version. First, from American TV show, Shindig, here is the original Kingsmen version.
1967 - DAVID Crosby was officially sacked from the Byrds, today, other band members a little tired of his bombastic ways. The next year Crosby, Stills, and Nash was formed. Following video is taken from the DVD, The Byrds: Under Review, the full-tilt story about David Crosby's dismissal from the iconic band. Then, I think from the Ed Sullivan show (not sure), we have three of the most famous Byrds' songs. The original Byrds here in all their glory, and their weaknesses, and exciting because it's all live, and at the start of what became something very big. There are also some good shots of interesting faces in an interesting audience.
1967 - DROP-OUT university student, Jan Wenner, borrowed $7,500 from his family members and from the family of his soon-to-be wife, Jane Schindelheim (from whom he was recently divorced), and published the very first issue of Rolling Stone magazine today, in San Francisco. The US-based magazine became devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular hippie culture, and published every two weeks. The first issue carried a cover date of November 9, 1967, and featured a photo of John Lennon on the cover, dressed in army fatigues while acting in his recent film, How I Won the War. The first issue had a free roach clip for holding a burned-down marijuana joint. The name of the magazine was compiled from three significant sources: the Muddy Waters song, the first rock ’n’ roll record by Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones. Here's Jan at his induction into the Rock'nRoll Hall Of Fame.
1973 - CAT Stevens made his national TV debut on BBC's In Concert series, and delivered a woven set of original songs, including this little gem - possibly the best version I have heard of this song.
1973 - PIANO Man was the title of Billy Joel's debut album, and it is easy to forget how magnificent and different this song was to the mood of the day, almost 40 years ago. Life weaves on for us all, with the soundtrack of our life, and this is part of my billion-song soundtrack - a magic song, for a magic time.
1975 - DAVID Bowie, ever the chameleon, ripped through American audiences at this stage in his career, by appearing on mainstream, peak hour variety shows such as Cher's own weekly CBS TV show event. And here's David Bowie - perhaps as you've never seen him before - duetting with Cherilyn Sarkisian, aka Cher LaPiere.
1998 - BILLY Preston, his manager Merle Otis Greene, and Greene's wife Sandra, were indicted on 22 charges of fraud in collecting $1 million in insurance claims today. And on the same day, Rick James was hospitalised after he suffered a stroke when a blood vessel ruptured in his neck during a show the week before in Denver, Colorado. It was also the day Michael Jackson settled a lawsuit over stories and pictures in the London Daily Mirror that had published a story claiming his face had been disfigured by cosmetic surgery. In a pathetic defence of the rag's outrageous lies, a lawyer for the publisher said, "The photographs were taken honestly and were not tampered with, but the Mirror has since met with the plaintiff in person and acknowledges that the photographs do not accurately represent the plaintiff's true appearance." Jackson had the guts to personally confront the newspaper and its hacks, but of course they snuck around like the coward moles they were, and as has been proven, remain. I still do not understand the venom and rage people threw at Michael Jackson. For me he is one of the true, true greats of contemporary music, dance and theatre, and no freakier than any other entertainer I have met. Besides, who cares what he did in his own private time? Remember with gossip, believe nothing you hear, nothing you read, and only half of what you see.
1962 - MOTOWN Records released You've Really Got a Hold on Me, today, by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, one of a series of hits from the band. Written by Smokey Robinson it was inducted into the 1998 Grammy Hall of Fame, and is also one of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Versions of this addictive song have been done by: Jackie DeShannon, Percy Sledge, Michael Jackson, Jackson 5, Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, Zombies, Small Faces, Temptations, Supremes, Phil Collins, and following the original version, here, probably the most famous version, by the Beatles.
1963 - LOUIE Louie was an early, simple rock'n'roll garage band hit for a group called the Kingsmen, and it was released on this day back in 1963. The song has since been covered by a multitude of acts, including Clash, Kinks, Iggy Pop, Ross Wilson's Pink Finks, and many more. Here are two versions, first up the original, then the Kinks' version, the dirty dwn home rock'n'roll version. First, from American TV show, Shindig, here is the original Kingsmen version.
1967 - DAVID Crosby was officially sacked from the Byrds, today, other band members a little tired of his bombastic ways. The next year Crosby, Stills, and Nash was formed. Following video is taken from the DVD, The Byrds: Under Review, the full-tilt story about David Crosby's dismissal from the iconic band. Then, I think from the Ed Sullivan show (not sure), we have three of the most famous Byrds' songs. The original Byrds here in all their glory, and their weaknesses, and exciting because it's all live, and at the start of what became something very big. There are also some good shots of interesting faces in an interesting audience.
1967 - DROP-OUT university student, Jan Wenner, borrowed $7,500 from his family members and from the family of his soon-to-be wife, Jane Schindelheim (from whom he was recently divorced), and published the very first issue of Rolling Stone magazine today, in San Francisco. The US-based magazine became devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular hippie culture, and published every two weeks. The first issue carried a cover date of November 9, 1967, and featured a photo of John Lennon on the cover, dressed in army fatigues while acting in his recent film, How I Won the War. The first issue had a free roach clip for holding a burned-down marijuana joint. The name of the magazine was compiled from three significant sources: the Muddy Waters song, the first rock ’n’ roll record by Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones. Here's Jan at his induction into the Rock'nRoll Hall Of Fame.
1973 - CAT Stevens made his national TV debut on BBC's In Concert series, and delivered a woven set of original songs, including this little gem - possibly the best version I have heard of this song.
1973 - PIANO Man was the title of Billy Joel's debut album, and it is easy to forget how magnificent and different this song was to the mood of the day, almost 40 years ago. Life weaves on for us all, with the soundtrack of our life, and this is part of my billion-song soundtrack - a magic song, for a magic time.
1975 - DAVID Bowie, ever the chameleon, ripped through American audiences at this stage in his career, by appearing on mainstream, peak hour variety shows such as Cher's own weekly CBS TV show event. And here's David Bowie - perhaps as you've never seen him before - duetting with Cherilyn Sarkisian, aka Cher LaPiere.
1998 - BILLY Preston, his manager Merle Otis Greene, and Greene's wife Sandra, were indicted on 22 charges of fraud in collecting $1 million in insurance claims today. And on the same day, Rick James was hospitalised after he suffered a stroke when a blood vessel ruptured in his neck during a show the week before in Denver, Colorado. It was also the day Michael Jackson settled a lawsuit over stories and pictures in the London Daily Mirror that had published a story claiming his face had been disfigured by cosmetic surgery. In a pathetic defence of the rag's outrageous lies, a lawyer for the publisher said, "The photographs were taken honestly and were not tampered with, but the Mirror has since met with the plaintiff in person and acknowledges that the photographs do not accurately represent the plaintiff's true appearance." Jackson had the guts to personally confront the newspaper and its hacks, but of course they snuck around like the coward moles they were, and as has been proven, remain. I still do not understand the venom and rage people threw at Michael Jackson. For me he is one of the true, true greats of contemporary music, dance and theatre, and no freakier than any other entertainer I have met. Besides, who cares what he did in his own private time? Remember with gossip, believe nothing you hear, nothing you read, and only half of what you see.
